Books by Emily Herbert

Born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, George Michael was raised in a family of Greek Cypriot immigrants in North London, and dreamed of stardom when he was a little boy. At just twelve years old he met Andrew Ridgeley and the two of them went on to achieve stunning success in the early 1980s with Wham!, creating music that remains popular to this day. Yet despite the enormous success of Wham!, George wanted more, and so set about recreating himself as a serious solo artist, reaching heights of even greater success. Ironically, however, even from the early days he was plagued with insecurity about his sexuality, which, combined with the calamity of losing his first lover to AIDS and his mother to cancer, plunged him into a lifelong struggle with drug addiction. He died, at the tragically early age of just fifty-three, on Christmas Day 2016. George Michael's life and career brought him international fame, and his sudden and unexpected death shocked the world. His unrivalled popularity as an artist, however, and the music he made, have turned him into one of the immortal greats of pop music. As Emily Herbert shows in this new biography, his legacy is not just his music, but his many extraordinary, and often anonymous, acts of charity.

On Sunday, 31 January 2016 a nation used to waking 'up to Wogan' on his Radio 2 breakfast show instead awoke to the shocking news that Sir Terry Wogan had passed away at the age of seventy-seven. One of Britain's most-loved broadcasters, Terry Wogan had been a fixture on the airwaves for over five decades with his dry, laconic wit and commentary making him instantly recognisable to his legions of fans. Hosting a number of radio shows for the BBC over the years, including Weekend Wogan right up until November 2015, Wogan broadcast to a record-breaking 8 million listeners at his peak, winning numerous popularity polls over the course of his career. Not content with ruling the airwaves, his long-running talk show Wogan is now the stuff of TV legend, as are his sardonic observations on the Eurovision Song Contest which made him the face of Eurovision to many, even today. But perhaps his most important contribution to British society, and the one of which he was most proud, was his work with Pudsey the Bear to raise an astounding GBP600 million for Children in Need since he presented the very first show in 1980. Author Emily Herbert draws on the reminiscences of many famous friends and colleagues to create an authoritative and entertaining tribute to one of the funniest, most lovable and prolific broadcasters of all time.

With his twinkling eyes, boundless energy and unrivalled natural wit, Robin Williams was the comedian who brought laughter to a generation. Through roles in cherished films such as Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, Aladdin and Hook, he became the genial face of family comedy. His child-like enthusiasm was infectious, sweeping viewers away. Allied to his lightning-quick improvisation and ability to riff lewdly off any cue thrown at him, Robin was that rare thing - a true comic genius who appealed to adults and children equally. He could also play it straight, and empathetic depth came to him naturally. A poignant performance in Good Will Hunting won him an Academy Award whilst his masterfully chilling turn in psychological thriller Insomnia shocked audiences and hinted at a darker side. What truly caught the imagination, though, was his good-heartedness. Warmth radiated from him on-screen, but he was legendary for his off-screen acts of selfless generosity. Where most Hollywood A-listers demand outrageous pampering in their contract riders, he always insisted that the production company hire a full quota of homeless people to help make his movies. But behind the laughter lay a deeply troubled man, and tragedy would follow. At midday, on 11 August 2014, Robin Williams was pronounced dead at his California home. The verdict was suicide. He had battled depression and addiction for many years and was allegedly beset by financial difficulties. Emily Herbert's sensitive and thoughtful biography celebrates his genius and warmth, but also attempts to understand what could have driven such a gentle and gifted man to so tragic an end. This is Robin Williams, the life, the laughter, and the deep sorrow of the man who made the world smile.

As aspiring youth footballer before injury forced him to reconsider his career, Smith left his hometown of Northampton at the age of 18 to study drama and creative writing at the University of East Anglia. An outstanding performance in the National Youth Theatre production of The Master and Margarita in 2003 brought him to the attention of an agent and earned him his first professional acting jobs, and his first television appearance came in 2006, in the BBC adaptation of Phillip Pullman's The Ruby in the Smoke. His first major role followed a year later, and 2007 also saw him debut in London's West End, starring in Fresh Kills, which he followed with a critically acclaimed performance as Henry in That Face. But Smith's biggest break came when he was cast in Doctor Who, first appearing in the show on 1 January 2010. Replacing the much-loved David Tennant was no mean feat for a relatively unknown actor like Matt Smith but he has risen to the challenge and received rave reviews from critics and viewers alike. This is the inside story of the Doctor and the rapid rise of the man behind the latest incarnation of the famous Time Lord.

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